


Into Frozen Waves

by Writing_in_SIN



Series: Clarity [2]
Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Parad Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 07:31:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21132977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_in_SIN/pseuds/Writing_in_SIN
Summary: When he lost sight of Build in a world not his own, Parad tries to find his way back home to Emu— only to find an obituary of an 8 year old boy in a car accident instead.





	Into Frozen Waves

**Author's Note:**

> Warning/Note: While I tend to write my Ex-aid fics about them as Gen, what the relationship between Emu and Parad is up to your interpretation. Honestly speaking, I see their relationship as something that not only has no definition but is actually BEYOND definition; literally something that's beyond their very identity. I mean, how do you define a relationship of two souls that are now merged into one; a relationship that's basically what home is? So how you want to see their relationship as is up to you.
> 
> Do I ship ParaEmu? YES!
> 
> But that doesn't mean everyone does so how you wanna see them is up to you readers.
> 
> Just keep in mind that whenever I write the relationship between Emu and Parad, it's going to be intimate because of the reasons I've mentioned above. If I can put it into words, this is the closest thing I could think of: They're not each other's priority, they're each other's FACT; someone that goes without saying. It's like how even though water is given priority over food, things are different when air is added to the equation. I think we all know that unlike water or food, air isn't seen as a priority but is instead a FACT that goes without saying.
> 
> ...Does that make any sense?
> 
> Anyway, please read the tags in case if there's something that you may not like and hope you'll enjoy the fic.

* * *

**INTO FROZEN WAVES**

* * *

Parad is in a world not his own.

Standing on a bridge by a dam, Parad feels a chill running down his spine when he turns around and sees the ominous walls towering over him. The eerie red glow makes him feel sick to his stomach and the gas that the wall emits renders his gamer driver useless so outside of his abilities as the Progenitor and Parabragun, he doesn't have much to defend himself with.

Great.

"Sulk later," Parad scolds himself, fists clenching at his sides. "Gotta find Build and get Emu's powers back first."

Unfortunately, things are easier said than done.

After hours of searching fruitlessly for Build, he returns to the bridge, feeling weary and painfully out of place.

At first, Parad thought that he somehow landed in a game world or even that of a VR— but there's not a trace of programming (he's checked) so that's out of the question. Odd as it may be, this place with its giant walls splitting the country into three is so familiar to him yet not at the same time. The humans are normal enough. The places too. The currency on the other hand...not so much. But it's undeniably Earth.

Only problem is, he's not sure if it's _his_ Earth.

He's played enough games to last him several lifetimes to know about parallel worlds. While he'd argue that it's nothing more than fiction, the fact still stands that him being a living, breathing game virus tips him off that nothing is impossible.

Sliding down to the ground, Parad leans back against the bridge railings and rubs his face with both hands while doing his best not to scream in frustration.

Okay, fine. He's in a strange world that's most likely not his own. He's been through worst.

"In retrospect, this isn't all that bad," he mumbles into his hands before raising his head and throws his hands up in the air with a rueful snort. "I've died twice for goodness sake— hell, the first time was even by the hands of my best friend! This is nothing in comparison!"

(Admittedly, that's still a trauma he still hasn't gotten over yet; no matter how much he cares about Emu or how much better their relationship has gotten since they reunited).

So, yeah. He can totally do this.

Tugging his curls, Parad sighs and rises up to his feet.

"I'll find Build again tomorrow," he mutters, giving the red glowy wall a baleful glare. "But before that, I gotta find this world's Emu...and a map. Crud, where's the nearest server in this world again?"

One of the biggest advantage of being a part of the Bugster race is that he can go anywhere he wants— including the computer servers and even the network, which is a relief since it makes travelling over these nauseating walls so much easier.

Now, all he needs to do is to type in Houjou Emu in the network's search engine and—

"...what the hell?"

World tilting by the axis, Parad shoves himself out of the network and into a computer nearest to where Emu is located.

Landing himself inside a flower shop via cash register, Parad ignores the startled shouts of the people in the shop. Stumbling with shaky feet, he rights himself before sprinting towards his destination two blocks away.

Heart beating like a drum in his chest, Parad feels his breath picking up as a sense of unease curls in his stomach; threatening to make him throw up.

No way. There's absolutely no way that what he found out is true.

_'Please,'_ he pleads in his mind as he breaks past the temple gates and up the stairs. _'Please don't be true.'_

With panic and terror pushing him, Parad ducks and weaves between the headstones until he finds a familiar surname. His breath leaves him while a sense of numbness settles within him as he stands before the Houjou family gravestone.

Hands shaking, Parad sinks to his knees and clenches his eyes shut.

A rainy day. An 8 year-old boy. Car accident.

"It's a mistake," he mutters fervently, hands clasped together in a semblance of a desperate prayer. "It's someone else. Has to be. Even if it's not my Emu, he wouldn't- he can't be...!"

Head snapping up, Parad traces the names on the headstone with wild eyes and feels his heart plummets to the ground when he spots the name he's looking for.

Houjou Emu.

A rush of heat sweeps through him and Parad feels a moment of faintness before a sob breaks past his lips. His hands grasp the cold tombstone, feeling tears streaming down his face.

Dead on impact. Instant death.

**Game over.**

"Emu..."

In a morbid parallel to when he begged for Emu's forgiveness for his sins, Parad collapses onto ground as his frame shakes with gasping sobs.

He's in a world not his own. A place that's familiar yet not as the ominous walls split the country into three with absolutely no leads to getting home. He can't find Build. This world's Emu is dead and—

He's alone.

Familiar faces and familiar places he doesn't know; a stranger in a strange world.

No CR. No Bugsters.

...no Houjou Emu.

Parad takes it back. This isn't bad— this is something far _worst_. Even more so than dying.

This is his worst fears and nightmares brought to life.

Alone.

To the point where even this world's version of his most favourite person in his life is dead and gone.

"Emu...!" Hands tug harshly at his hair as Parad curls into a ball. "Wanna go home...wanna go home to Emu...!"

He can't do this.

Not alone. Not like this.

Parad presses his face to the ground and lets his screams echo into the empty graveyard.


End file.
